Page 5 - Explore Arkansas May 2016

ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
The Central Delta Depot Museum in Brinkley contains exhibits about railroading, local history, the Louisiana Purchase survey of 1815 and musician Louis Jordan, who was born in Brinkley.
DELIGHTFUL DEPOTS BY SARAH DECLERK
SPECIAL SECTIONS WRITER
Many thriving cities began as stops along early Arkansas railroad lines, and sev- eral cities pay homage to their histories with railroad depot museums. Here are a few places where visitors can learn about the state’s railroading past.
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ARKANSAS RAILROAD MUSEUM
Arkansas Railroad Museum in Pine Bluff once housed the Cotton Belt Shops, which constructed equipment for the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, also known as the Cotton Belt, the museum’s website states. According to the website, the museum displays vintage engines and other equipment. Pictures and information can be found at www.arkansasrailroadmuseum.org.
MORRILTON DEPOT MUSEUM
Built in 1915, the Morrilton Depot Museum displays historic photos, Native American artifacts and a Civil War exhibit, and it also houses the Conway County Genealogical Society, Main Street Morrilton’s website states. To learn more, visit www.mainstreetmorrilton. com/depotmuseum.html.
RUSSELLVILLE DEPOT
Once known as the Missouri- Pacific Railroad Depot, the Russellville Depot anchors the city’s downtown revitalization efforts by hosting community events such as Taste of the Valley, the Downtown Fall Festival and Chili Cookoff, and the Downtown Art Walk, the city’s website states. For more information, call Main Street Russellville at 479-967-1437 or visit www.russellvillearkansas.org.
CENTRAL DELTA DEPOT MUSEUM
In addition to providing information about railroads, the Central Delta Depot
Museum, located in a restored 1912 Union Railroad Depot in Brinkley, offers exhibits about Brinkley-born musician Louis Jordan and the Louisiana Purchase survey of 1815, the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism website states. According to the website, the museum also houses the Arkansas Midland-MoPac Depot from Monroe and a furnished sharecropper house. To learn more, call 870-589-2124 or visit www.arkansas.com.
NEVADA COUNTY DEPOT AND MUSEUM
The Nevada County Depot and Museum in Prescott saw its first train in 1912, and it now offers exhibits about various historical topics including local military history, the county’s early settlements and railroading. Visit www. depotmuseum.org for more information.
KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN DEPOT
The Kansas City Southern Depot in Mena was built in 1920 and serves as a museum with artifacts and exhibits about the area’s history, a tourist information center and is the home of the Mena- Polk County Chamber of Commerce, the city’s website states. More information is available at www.menaarkansas.us.
MANILA DEPOT MUSEUM
The Manila Depot Museum has watched a century roll by, and it houses antiques that may help future generations connect with a bygone era, the city’s website states. To learn more, visit www.manilaarkansas.org.
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with your family or loved ones,” she said. “I think it’s just a way of being able to step back, regroup, spend some quality family time and get unplugged from everything.”
During the voyage, the railroad usually serves pastries in the morning and croissant sandwiches at lunch, although special trips may offer a brunch or dinner menu, she said.
“We do everything from peanut butter to prime rib,” she added.
A&M offers a variety of special-occasion rides for Christmas, football games, National Train Day and festivals such as Frisco Festival and Bikes, Blues and BBQ, she said.
In addition, the company offers a railroad- safety program called Operation Lifesaver, which teaches groups about safety considerations when crossing railroad grades, she added.
“We stay pretty busy,” she said, adding that the railroad serves about 40,000 passengers each year. A&M recently opened its transportation museum, which has a railway focus, she added. “It’s important to keep that history alive,” she said.
She said more young passengers and business groups now ride the rails, so A&M has added activities such as karaoke and wine-and-cheese tastings to appeal to a variety of customers.
“[We’re] just trying to do some different things, you know, that keep up with the changing of the demographics and different things that people like to do,” she said.
To learn more, visit www.amrailroad.com.
JIMMY SHADDOCK/CAPTURE ARKANSAS ES&NA Railway Co. offers a narrated excursion trip along
the restored Missouri and North Arkansas Railroad.
ES&NA RAILWAY CO.
Eureka Springs is awash with history, and visitors can experience the past in a unique way at ES&NA Railway Co. According to its website, the company displays artifacts such as an operational 1940s-era diesel locomotive, stationary steam locomotives and an authentic turntable.
The railway also offers a variety of trips, including dining-car lunches and dinners, which take passengers on a narrated, 4 1/2-mile round trip while they enjoy their meals, the website states, and it also offers a one-hour, narrated excursion along the restored Missouri and North Arkansas Railroad.
For more information, visit www.esnarailway. com or call 479-253-9623.